Cenbank sets deadlines for resolving Bangla QR payment disputes

Bangladesh Bank has introduced a new resolution framework for Bangla QR merchant payments, requiring banks, mobile financial service providers and payment service providers to resolve customer complaints within fixed timeframes.

The central bank issued the "Guideline on Dispute Resolution for Bangla QR (Merchant Payment) Transactions" today (27 September), which will take effect on 1 December.

Under the guideline, if a customer's account is debited but a transaction fails and the merchant does not receive the money, the issuing bank or MFS provider must automatically reverse the amount without requiring a complaint.

The reversal must be completed in real time or within 30 minutes.

For disputes that cannot be resolved automatically, customers can file complaints within 45 days of the transaction. The issuer must accept or reject a claim within two working days.

If the issuer fails to respond within the deadline, the case will move to a formal chargeback process through the National Payment Switch Bangladesh's centralised dispute management system.

The acquiring institution will have seven days to respond to a chargeback claim. If the dispute remains unresolved, it can proceed to arbitration, which must be completed within 30 days.

The guideline introduces eight standardised chargeback reason codes covering issues such as non-receipt of goods, duplicate payments, incorrect billing and cases where the merchant is not credited despite the customer's account being debited.

It will also introduce a transaction status inquiry mechanism, allowing issuing institutions to instantly verify unclear payment statuses with acquiring institutions. The mechanism is expected to reduce the need for manual dispute filing.

Penalties for missing transaction evidence

The guideline makes institutions responsible for providing transaction evidence during dispute investigations.

If an acquirer fails to provide required electronic journals, transaction logs, receipts, SMS records or other valid evidence, it must refund the disputed amount and may face an additional penalty of up to the same amount.

Merchants seeking refunds will have 60 days to submit requests, while acquiring institutions must respond within two working days.

The guideline also sets a 30-day period for investigating suspected unauthorised or fraudulent transactions.

Customers must be reimbursed within three business days if an institution's system failure or security lapse is found to have caused the loss. However, claims may be rejected if evidence shows that the customer was negligent or engaged in misconduct.

Bangladesh Bank warned that banks, MFS providers and other payment service providers may face supervisory action for failing to meet the stipulated deadlines or unjustifiably rejecting customer claims.

The new framework aims to make Bangla QR payments more predictable and secure for customers and merchants while strengthening confidence in the country's digital payment ecosystem.